Radiation Oncology Clinical Trials

This randomized phase III trial is studying how well giving radiation therapy, paclitaxel, and carboplatin together with or without trastuzumab works in treating patients with esophageal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether giving radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy together with or without trastuzumab is more effective in treating esophageal cancer

A standard treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer is standard photon radiation in combination with the chemotherapy drug, capecitabine. In this research study the investigators are using standard photon radiation or a different type of radiation therapy called proton beam radiation and adding hydroxychloroquine to be used in combination with capecitabine. In this research study, the investigators are looking to determine if proton or photon beam radiation in combination with hydroxychloroquine and capecitabine is effective in controlling your cancer growth.

The purpose of this research study is to determine if radiation using proton beam therapy will kill the germ cell tumor in the participant's central nervous system. This type of radiation has been used previously on many patients with different types of cancers. There are two types of external radiation treatments, proton beam and photon beam. In this study we will be examining the effects of proton beam radiation therapy. Studies have suggested that this kind of radiation can spare normal tissue more than photon radiation therapy. The physical characteristics of proton beam radiation let the doctor safely increase the amount of radiation delivered to the tumor. We believe that proton beam therapy will potentially reduce side effects that participants would normally experience with photon radiation therapy.

This study combines midostaurin (PKC412) with radiation and a standard chemotherapy drug call 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) for subjects with advanced rectal cancer. Midostaurin is a type of kinase inhibitor which works by blocking proteins associated with cancer cell growth. Previous studies also suggest that midostaurin may help increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy. In this research we are looking for the highest dose of midostaurin that can be given safely in combination with standard chemoradiation.